About this project

$11,090

pledged of $7,500 goal

283

backers

And now comes the rest...

When you start out on a project like this, you create for yourself an envelope of expectations. You mentally prepare yourself for the worst possible case. What if after 30 days I have nothing to show but a project that funds at 30% the goal and a crushed dream? You also set up the brightest, most shiny ambitions. Now, I'm not retiring to sail the Caribbean on my 100-foot yacht, but this... this was good.

Not even was good. Is good. I'm bouncing off the walls. I'm thrilled. When I punched the "launch" button on the Kickstarter, it was the most nervous I've ever been as a writer. Now, standing at the end and funded at 147% with two hours to go, I've never been more excited or filled with hope.

This is all for you, my friends and backers. I've told many of you privately and said here publicly that as a publisher, I'm here for you. My job is to support you and your games and your hobby. I'm going to do that, and do it all the way.

We'll have more information in the next couple of weeks, but for now I just want to invite everyone over to the new Breachworld RPG Google+ Community. There we can engage as a community, talk about what's coming up, and even share in some playtesting together.

Welcome to the Breachworld RPG, a post-apocalyptic anything-goes sandbox world in desperate need of exploration or exploitation by you, the intrepid tabletop gamer. By backing this Kickstarter, you will help bring this world to life. In appreciation for your help, you'll have the opportunity to join in the adventure, and at a bargain.

Free Playable Preview

Why support Breachworld?

You love games that seek to empower you, rather than limit you. Yes, sometimes you want to be a gun-toting, cigar-smoking stack of monster-splattering bad-ass. And sometimes you want to be a subtle and curious scientist, trying to uncover the mysteries of why the world went wrong all those centuries ago. You love a game that can handle either, or both.

Your favorite settings are those that inspire you to have adventures of every flavor. You can be good, bad, or roam around freely in the gray area in between. Sometimes you seek justice, sometimes riches, and other times just survival. You love a game that lets you choose how to play.

You love a system that isn't a prima donna. Your calculator shouldn't be the most popular player at your table. You love to roll dice and keep the action moving, and to be able to sit your buddy down for his first ever RPG session and have him playing in just minutes. Your favorite rule is Rule #1: Have fun.

The Breachworld RPG is all of this and more. With your help, it will be much more.

Funded! What's Next?

We have an exciting series of Stretch Goals to strive for! Each is a digital publication, available as a "pay what you want" add-on, or free to backers with a pledge of Superior Supporter or greater. So, spread the word to your friends and gaming buddies. Talk about Breachworld on your favorite forums, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Google+. The more funding that the Breachworld RPG receives, the more we all win.

Rewards

How you consume Breachworld is up to you. There are a myriad of backing options, ranging from a show of support to actual involvement in the development of portions of the game. Best of all, from a support level of even $1, you will get access to tons of insider information in the form of exclusive updates. See concept art, pages from the book, and raw text from the manuscript.

Backer reward levels are fully detailed on the right side of the screen. A summary of each pledge level is shown with more detail, below:

How do I purchase add-ons?

To include add-ons when you make your pledge, simply offer more than the reward you wish to receive. For example, if you order the Superior Supporter level for $50 and wish to add-on an additional standard hardcover for $30, pledge the total $80, but only select the Superior Supporter level of backing. When the Kickstarter closes you'll be able to communicate what extras you want included for that additional money.

Still have questions? Just ask. We'll figure it out.

The World

I've been developing Breachworld for as long as I can remember, and I'm excited to finally bring it out into the light. I wanted to create a tabletop game that was expansive with possibilities to tell amazing stories, and began collecting elements of what that might look like. I ended up with a time-honored gaming setting: post-apocalyptic Earth. For great stories, I believe that you need interesting characters of great variety, so I utilized Perks, Complications, amazing powers, and alien races of all shapes and sizes. To maximize gaming fun, I think you need to maximize options, so there's very little that your characters can't do in Breachworld. The setting allows for anything and everything to be included.

Explorers survey ruins in the distance. Art by Amy Ashbaugh.

THE BASICS

Earth's society reached its peak thanks to the establishment of a network of Gates that connected all corners of the globe, creating a unified, global village that thrived on science, technology, and cultural exchange. When the Gates began to malfunction, no one could see the disaster just around the bend. Then the Gates split their terrestrial pairings and formed permanent Breaches in space-time, and alien beings, monsters, and environments poured through and became trapped on Earth's dimensional shores.

Now, untold centuries later, the Breaches persist and the world is still largely anarchy, but hope shines anew. After generations of toil, a secretive organization has discovered how to permanently close a Breach, and is prepared to start the long road of recovering the planet.

In this world, which avenues you choose to walk are entirely up to you.

Side with the Resistance, which seeks to reclaim Earth for humankind.

Join the Cooperative and seek for the power of knowledge buried in long-forgotten ruins.

Stake a claim, build your kingdom, and rule as you see fit.

Become an Epic and conjure, control, or destroy with nothing but the force of your will.

Make your way in the world as a hired gun, explorer, or just a survivor. Fight off raiders and bushwhackers or become one.

Seek your fortune in lost hoards of pre-Fall technology.

Play as a human or as a race from beyond a Breach.

Do anything, and be anyone, as long as it's fun.

Standing watch in the town of Arena. Art by Mike Wilson.

Mechanics

Breachworld runs on Mini Six by Antipaladin Games (available free at that link), a variation on the Open D6 ruleset made available to publishers by OGL. The rules incorporate familiar D6 mechanics that we all remember from various West End Games products, but a bit streamlined. Roll against situational difficulties set by the Game Master and root for that exploding "wild die" to come up a 6 time and time again! With one core mechanic, play is fast and intuitive, and easy to learn.

Many thanks to Eric Gibson and Ray Nolan.

What you get

The core Breachworld RPG lays out the setting, with all of the historical context, world information, and game mechanics that you need to play. Included in the core RPG are:

13 Player Races. Be a native human or an alien trapped on Earth.

63 Feats. Manipulate the Aether to conjure, control, and destroy.

40 Perks. Customize your character with advantages.

27 Complications. Create pitfalls for more complex role-playing.

12 Breach Creatures. Animals, demons, and monsters from alien worlds.

3 mapped locations. Villages and towns to visit, save, or destroy.

Gear. A full compliment of weapons, armors, vehicles, and other essentials.

Setting. A fully described world full of danger, opportunity, and adventure.

Anticipated page count of at least 150.

Support, support, support

It's not over once you have this RPG in your hands. The game will be supported by inexpensive electronic mini-sourcebooks outlining new places, new Player Races, new special types of characters, new monsters and creatures, and new scenarios to play. Use all of it or none of it. Plug in what you want for your game, and ignore the rest. If we exceed our initial funding goal with this Kickstarter, some of these game folios will start production immediately.

Quality on every page

A priority for Breachworld is making everything a top-shelf experience. Both hardcover and softcover versions are available at your preference, as well as a hand-numbered Collector's Edition available only through this Kickstarter. The book is printed half-sized (5.5" x 8.5") so its layout is also ideally suited for your tablet. Once the Kickstarter is over, all versions (except the Collector's Edition) will be available on DriveThruRPG for download or print-on-demand.

Perhaps most importantly, both the book and PDF are full-color, filled with illustrations by top artists such as David Arenas, Amy Ashbaugh, Mike Mumah, and Mike Wilson, with more to come. We're working to pack Breachworld full of vivid imagery worthy of your support.

Deadline

The promised ship date is no later than August 2014. This being JRP's first Kickstarter, we're being a little conservative with that estimate and hope to get it out sooner.

Shipping

The default domestic shipping option is USPS media mail. We will take good care of your book and try to deliver it unharmed, in a padded envelope or mailer box (depending on the size of the order). If you want extra care taken with your precious cargo, add $5 to your order (see the add-ons, below) and it will receive a materials upgrade AND be sent with insurance. If things go extremely well in this Kickstarter, a fulfillment company will ship at least some of the books, but we will make sure that they're getting you your materials free of dings and scratches.

Note that all orders containing a Collector's Edition already include extra/premium packaging for that particular book, though others may only receive the standard amount of care.

What are you waiting for?

Support today using any of these exciting levels, and don't forget to include add-ons such as additional copies of the book, custom Breachworld dice, and more as funding goals are met.

If there is anything that I can do to help this effort be successful, let me know! Ask questions, suggest new add-ons, and inquire about new backing levels. We're in this together.

Other notes

Open D6 is the property of Eric Gibson. Used under license.Mini Six is the property of Antipaladin Games. Used under license.

Note that for pricing reasons, a minimum of 50 Collector's Editions will be ordered. Any of the 50 (including the numbered #1 to #10 available at high-level backings) remaining may be sold at a later date.

Risks and challenges

The book is 90% complete, layout templates are being established, and initial art has been ordered. We are as ready for the final push as we possibly can be. The Breachworld RPG will see print, barring exceptional circumstances. Nothing short of a personal tragedy will keep it from you.

All gamers understand the headaches that come with delayed titles, so I can only promise to work diligently to see this project through ON TIME, and hopefully even a little early. As a Professional Engineer, I understand deadlines and how to meet them, and will work as hard to see this job completed as anything involving concrete and steel.

Oh, and I'm REALLY excited to hold this thing in my hands, so I'm super-motivated to see it done.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $10 or more
About $10

Digital Supporter - Receive a PDF copy of Breachworld. This is a 20% savings off the cover price (normally $12.50). --- There was some confusion on this point earlier, so please forgive the duplicated reward level; I just wanted it to be clearer.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $30 or more
About $30

EARLY BIRD Senior Supporter - Receive a copy of the Breachworld RPG standard hardcover, and we will throw in the PDF for free. Plus, we will cover domestic shipping because you're so quick on the draw.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $30 or more
About $30

Total Digital Supporter - Getting it all just got easier! This level gives you everything in the Digital Supporter tier, plus all digital add-ons unlocked during the Kickstarter. This is fundamentally the same as pledging at the Digital Supporter level and then adding $20 in add-ons, and gets the same results. This is a big savings over the suggested pricing of the add-ons!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $50 or more
About $50

Superior Supporter - Receive a copy of the Breachworld RPG Collector's Edition hardcover. This hand-numbered volume is only available through this Kickstarter and is easily identifiable by its unique cover art. Plus, you get the PDF version of the book for free. We will provide you premium domestic shipping for free in appreciation of your support.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $98 or more
About $98

Group Pack - Outfit your whole gaming group with one standard hardcover and three softcover copies. That's 10% off the cover price, with free domestic shipping, and a free copy of the PDF for the Game Master.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $165 or more
About $165

Retailer Special - Put five standard hardcovers and five softcover copies of the Breachworld RPG on your shelves. You get a 40% discount off the anticipated cover price. Plus, the name and location of your establishment will be included in the Breachworld wiki/SRD and noted in a special section of the acknowledgements of the book. Verifiable brick and mortar locations only, please. Does not include shipping, so contact in order to determine the cost.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $195 or more
About $195

Mega-Group Pack - Equip your large gaming group with one Collector's Edition hardcover, one standard hardcover, and six softcover versions of the book. That's 15% off the cover price, with free domestic shipping, and a free copy of the PDF for the GM.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $300 or more
About $300

Naming Rights - You get a Collector's Edition hardcover (numbered 6-10), the PDF, and you get to work with the creator to name something in the book. You could help select the name for an existing character, have your name added as an NPC, or we could find a way to work in the name of one of your beloved characters. No trademarked property may be used, and naturally there are restrictions that must fit within the game, but we will do everything possible to work it out to your satisfaction.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $300 or more
About $300

Naming Rights (EXPANDED) - You get a Collector's Edition hardcover (numbered 6-10), a standard hardcover, a softcover, the PDF, and all digital add-ons, the custom Breachworld Dice, and you get to work with the creator to DESIGN something in the book. This could be a creature, character, Player Race, or anything else. This addition also gets the Custom Illustration add-on treatment, letting you participate in directing the art for the character or thing in question, and get a signed print. No trademarked property may be used, and naturally there are restrictions that must fit within the game, but we will do everything possible to work it out to your satisfaction. (The previous pledge at this level also gets these new bonuses/benefits)

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $500 or more
About $500

Special Thanks - You will get a special and by-name mention in the Special Thanks section of the book, right alongside people such as the author's family and closest friends. That's in addition everything in the "Naming Rights (EXPANDED)" listing, above. Shipping anywhere in the world is included.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $1,000 or more
About $1,000

Champion - For this contribution, you get the works. This includes #1 of the Collector's Edition, a redmarked copy of the book that was used during editing, a normal hardcover copy, a softcover copy, the PDF, as well as your name prominently listed in the Special Thanks section inside the book and on the website, plus anything else we can think to send you (pages from the design notebook, concept art, etc.). We'll throw in additional gaming material that is unlocked during the Kickstarter as well. The author and creator will even call or Skype you to express his gratitude. A one-of-a-kind offer with free shipping anywhere in the world.